hardihood

noun

har·​di·​hood ˈhär-dē-ˌhu̇d 

1

a

: resolute courage and fortitude

b

: resolute and self-assured audacity often carried to the point of impudent insolence

2

: vigor, robustness

Synonyms

• beans
• bounce
• brio
• dash
• drive
• dynamism
• energy
• esprit
• gas
• get-up-and-go
• ginger
• go
• gusto
• juice
• life
• moxie
• oomph
• pep
• punch
• sap
• snap
• starch
• verve
• vigor
• vim
• vinegar
• vitality
• zing
• zip

Choose the Right Synonym for hardihood

temerity, audacity, hardihood, effrontery, nerve, cheek, gall, chutzpah mean conspicuous or flagrant boldness.

temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

the nerve of that guy

has the cheek to call herself a singer

had the gall to demand proof

the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

Examples of hardihood in a Sentence

the 80-year-old grandmother attributes her hardihood to having eaten a cup of yogurt every day for the past 50 years

the explorers were driven by an almost reckless hardihood in the face of the unknown

Recent Examples on the Web

My father had been a leading Mountaineer and would still maintain the general superiority in skill and hardihood of the Above Boys (his own faction) over the Below Boys (so were they called), of which party his contemporary had been a chieftain. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022

There is little question that Reagan, for all his physical hardihood and strength of will, was no longer up to the task of serving a third term beginning in 1989. —Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 18 Sep. 2020

And yet Andrew Johnson, with unblushing hardihood, undertook to rule them by his own power alone. —Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

hardihood

noun

har·​di·​hood ˈhärd-ē-ˌhu̇d 

1

: bravery sense 1

2

: vigor sense 1